Hyderabad: On the instructions of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the state government has taken up the exercise of downsizing the number of departments by merging some departments into one group. After state bifurcation, in both states, the number of departments remained the same but the number of ministers and IAS officers went down. It has become necessary to reduce the number of departments for administrative purposes.
At present there are more than 70 departments headed by different secretaries. Each welfare department is headed by a separate secretary. The government has separate departments for the welfare of SCs, tribals, minorities, BCs and others. Now, all the welfare departments will be clubbed together and one minister allotted to them.
In undivided AP, the state government had appointed the Vinod Agarwal committee which submitted a report to the effect that departments should be merged but the state government put this report in cold storage. After bifurcation, Telang-ana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to downsize the number of departments by clubbing related departments into one group.
The Telangana state government is facing a shortage of IAS officers. After reorganisation of districts, the number of IAS officers at the secretariat level fell further. The sanctioned strength of IAS officers for the state is 208 but the working strength stands at 130. With the shortage of IAS officers several departments are under in-charge secretaries.
The revenue department consists of commercial taxes, excise, land related issues and endowment. It is divided into three groups with three secretaries looking after these departments. After downsizing, the revenue department may have only two secretaries. The finance department also has three secretaries and the planning department has one more secretary. Now the planning department will be clubbed with the finance department. Other departments will face similar changes. Secretaries and commissioners will also be clubbed.
In Telangana state, the Cabinet strength should be 18 including the Chief Minister. At the secretariat level about 60 IAS officers are available. All departments have to be looked after by 18 ministers and 60 IAS officers. The CM has asked officials to complete the downsizing of departments by the time of cabinet expansion.
